What is Love?
by Sublime Angel
Summary: I love you and I cannot help it. Am I wrong? Temari realizes her feelings for Gaara are growing, changing into something beyond anything she has ever known. Everyone else knows it, will he?


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto at all, how sad. Damn you Masashi Kishimoto! Lucky bastard! 

**Note:** This is a Gaara and Temari fic so if you're offended by that then I suggest you man up and learn to take it or simply click the 'Back' button and go read another fic! I make no apologies for my writing.

This idea came to me while watching the 'Rescue Gaara' arc of the Shippūden series. I was touched by Temari's increased concern for her brothers, especially for Gaara's safety and so I thought why not explore that? And since it's my fic I can do whatever I want! (cackles evilly) Muahahahahaha! Hope you enjoy it!

p.s. I may do a Temari/Kankuro if I come up with a good enough storyline, though personally I don't really see/feel much chemistry between the two.

So anyways, read on, read on dearhearts!

* * *

**What is Love?**

**Chapter 1**

Temari stared at her younger brother, stoic faced as usual, unreadable as ever. But this was nothing new, after all Gaara was Gaara. That fact had never changed. It didn't bother her she supposed, having grown up with him she'd become used to his extremely cold and withdrawn nature. Same old Gaara, after sixteen years, not a muscle moved or an eyelash batted.

She did wonder though how he managed to keep his face so straight. He never blinked, ever. Maybe he had honed that skill over the years since he never slept at all. But then again the insomnia had been forced upon him out of fear that Shukaku would eat away at his real self if he ever fell asleep.

He was not one for much emotion either. She couldn't recall a time that he actually seemed to care about them. He didn't even think of them as his siblings. Well they had never really thought much of him either anyways. They'd both feared and despised him as he did them, except for the fear part. He'd even threatened to kill them both if they ever got in his way or tried to control him in any way. She knew he was serious. After all, Gaara wasn't afraid of anything or anyone.

Maybe it had been their father's fault. She liked to think that she loved her father. After all, he had never done anything to hurt her or Kankuro, but still...Gaara was her baby brother. And as much as she hated to admit it, their father had shown no love to their youngest sibling. He had ordered Chiyo to seal Shukaku within him in the hopes of using him as a weapon. And all the while, for the first six years of his life, Gaara really thought he was loved. He had even tried to be friendly to others even though they all hated him.

Of course that all changed when their father realised his youngest child was a lost cause, having become mentally instable and consumed with an insatiable desire to kill. He turned on him and tried to have him assassinated more times than she could count, although she was sure Gaara had the exact number memorised! Their father had treated him like he was nothing, like the blood that ran through his veins was not the same as theirs.

Growing up the way he did had made him unfeeling and disconnected from everything around him, emotionally withdrawn and consumed with a bitter loathing for everyone but himself. The realization that he was neither loved nor deemed important by anyone had only served to send him even farther over the edge. He became more desperate to find a purpose in life! The only problem was that when he eventually did, he came to the conclusion that his sole purpose for existing, was _to kill_. He had to outlive those around him was so that he could annihilate them and anyone else who threatened his existence!

But he had come a long way since then. Although her brother was still the same in many ways, he had also changed greatly. After the fight with Naruto, Gaara had been deeply affected by the young ninja's intense desire to protect those he loved. He had never been exposed to feelings of such depth that moved a person to lay down his very life for those precious to him. While on their way back home after the invasion had failed he apologised to both her and Kankuro. It had been the first time she had ever seen him show the slightest hint of feeling, much less remorse.

Although he was only sixteen now, three years her junior, he had matured so much. His personality had altered a great deal.Gone was the angry, hard-hearted, lost little boy who killed so that he might live. In his place stood the Fifth Kazekage, the source of protection for the Hidden Village of the Sand.

The silent boy had become a strong man, a valiant leader who valued the lives of the villagers that had been entrusted to him over his own. The strength he had fought to acquire his entire life, had finally become his through caring for others. Something he had never even dared to think of! And the villagers, in turn, now held Gaara in a more admirable regard, truly accepting him as their ruler and saviour.

Of course the villagers were not the only ones who had begun to see the young lord in a new light. The younger females of the village had taken a _special_ interest in him and Temari's brow bristled at the thought of all those stupid brainless girls fawning over her brother like he was a piece of meat. She growled mentally and crushed the glass she had been holding in her hand.

The clink of the shards as they fell to the floor brought Gaara out of his thoughts. He turned his head ever so slightly and discovered his sister kneeling on the floor, her hand bleeding quite a bit. He heard her curse as she tried to remove a piece of glass embedded in her palm and smiled ever so slightly.

She was quick with words his sister, though not one to lose her head in a situation. Always knew how to quickly gain the upperhand. She was an analytical genius, always ten steps ahead, and not a bad fighter either, although she could never beat him. He was just too good. But still, she was a very impressive Sand shinobi and many of the other local shinobi were somewhat intimidated by her strong, assertive nature.

"Kuso…" she spat angrily, as she tried to collect the fragments of broken glass off the floor into her other hand, only succeeding in cutting the tip of yet another one of her fingers.

"Temari!" came the ever familiar low voice, "Leave it!"

She halted in her actions. A trail of sand came over to her, wrapped itself around the broken glass and moved on. When the ground cleared, the glass was gone. She raised her eyes to meet his. They were focused on the blood dripping from her hand.

Gaara debated for a moment what to do. Help or let her take care of herself? As quickly as he thought, he had already crossed the floor and began walking towards her. Temari's eyes widened as he knelt before her and took her hand in his own to examine it, carefully avoiding the sore but open cut spots. They younger boy held her hand between his two and closed his eyes. His chakra enveloped their clasped hands and she felt the warmth emanating from him enter into her.

His eyes reopened. They both remained there, silent, hand still entwined, just looking at each other. Temari felt her heart rate speed up. Could it be?

_Little brother?_

Gaara noticed an intensity in her eyes that he had never seen before, much less noticed a few moments earlier.

"Gaara…" she murmured.

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Hai?"

But she couldn't form the words, her voice just stuck in her throat and she couldn't utter a sound. The pounding in her chest was increasing. What was this feeling coming over her at the sight of him? At the feel of his hand holding hers? Why was this heat coursing through her body to the point that it made her want to come at him?

"M-my h-hand…" she whispered reluctantly.

His other brow raised before his gaze was directed downwards to their hands still encased in each others. He hadn't even realized. Why was he still holding her hand? Why hadn't she tried removing hers?

"…"

He let go without saying a word, and rather slowly too at that, as if he was unsure whether he wanted to do that or not.

Temari drew her previously injured hand back towards her and held it with her other good hand. It was perfectly healed. Gaara…he…he had healed her! Should that mean something?

"Arigatou…Gaara-…sama…"

He stared at her blankly for a few seconds. Why had she called him 'sama'? His sister was beginning to really confuse him.

"…"

She got to her feet and left the room. If she stayed in there any longer she had a strong feeling that something bad would definitely happen…to him!

_Get a hold of yourself Temari! This is your brother, your younger brother, your blood! Not to mention that he's also the Kazekage…snap out of it!_

She shook her head in an attempt to try and clear her thoughts. So caught up was she in her mental conversation that she didn't notice she was about to walk into her other brother.

"Oof!" she hissed as she hit something solid.

Temari fell backwards to the floor and landed painfully on her rear.

"Ite…oh, Kankuro!" she exclaimed rubbing her sore end.

Kankuro eyed his older sister curiously.

_Lost in your thoughts again were you sister?_

"Ohayo Temari…daijoubu ka?" he asked reaching out a hand to help her up.

She accepted it gratefully.

"Hai, I just wasn't looking where I was going, gomen…" she replied.

"Daydreaming again were you?" he teased, knowing his sister's habits all too well, "Who was it this time?"

At his remark her face coloured deeply and she laughed nervously.

"Me? Daydreaming? About someone? Ha ha, ha ha ha…good one Kankuro! Eh, well I'll be going now!" and she sped off in a hurry as far away from him as she could go.

_She's acting rather strange today…maybe the time is nearing. It seems that I may have to speak with the elders sooner than expected. It will not wait much longer…_

* * *

Well that's chapter one, liked it? Hated it? Please review and let me know what you think, and if I should continue, not that t'd sto me if you didn't care anyways! Toodles! 


End file.
